Ontario Showcases Auto Sector During Mission to Germany and Switzerland

Growing auto supply chain and innovation take centre stage at IAA Mobility

The Voice of Canada News:

The Ontario government has concluded a successful business mission to Germany and Switzerland to attract investments and strengthen relationships with economic partners in the auto sector. As part of the mission, a delegation of Ontario organizations promoted the province’s auto supply chain and innovations at IAA Mobility, the world’s largest event for the mobility industry, which includes the auto and transportation sectors.

“We’re showcasing Ontario’s growing auto supply chain on a global stage and continuing to promote the province to companies around the world,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Missions like this have helped Ontario attract over $25 billion in transformative auto and EV battery investments from global automakers, parts suppliers, and electric vehicle battery and materials manufacturers over the last three years.”

A delegation of 10 Ontario organizations, including Invest Ontario and the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN), showcased Ontario products and innovations at IAA Mobility in Germany. The delegation promoted Ontario to international investors and potential partners and customers to grow the province’s auto supply chain.

“Ontario is where innovation meets automotive manufacturing excellence; we are forging global partnerships, attracting transformative investments and showcasing our innovative companies to the world,” said Raed Kadri, Head of OVIN. “Our commitment to fostering a competitive business environment, sustainability and innovation in the auto sector continues to make Ontario a powerhouse destination for businesses worldwide.”

The Ontario government also met with leading auto, tech and life sciences companies, including the BMW Group, Mercedes-Benz, ElringKlinger, Max Aicher Group, Intellegam, ZF Group, Schaeffler, Siemens, AstraZeneca and Emerald Technology Ventures. These meetings were opportunities to learn more about the companies’ operations in Ontario and their plans for growth. One of the companies, Infineon Technologies, a leading global supplier of semiconductors for vehicles, recently announced their planned acquisition of GaN Systems in Ottawa.

“Both Germany, with its automotive prowess, and Ontario, as an emerging front-runner in electric vehicles, stand tall on the global stage,” said Trevor Dauphinee, CEO of Invest Ontario. “With suppliers and customers across the supply chain, Ontario provides a key entry point to the broader North American market. This collaboration opens doors to promising new opportunities for business growth.”

With a world-class workforce, state-of-the-art research and development facilities and a reputation for high-quality manufacturing, Ontario is one of the most competitive places for businesses to invest and grow.

Quick Facts

• Last year, there was over $14.8 billion in two-way trade between Germany and Ontario, and nearly $7.3 billion between Switzerland and Ontario. There are approximately 260 German businesses and 97 Swiss businesses operating in Ontario.
• Ontario operates a network of 16 trade and investment offices globally, including one in Munich.
• Over the last three years, Ontario has attracted over $25 billion in automotive investments by global automakers and suppliers of electric vehicle batteries and battery materials. This includes a $7 billion investment by Volkswagen Group to build the company’s first overseas battery cell manufacturing plant in St. Thomas.
• Ontario’s auto supply chain is comprised of over 700 parts firms, over 500 tool, die and mold makers and over 400 companies focused on connected and autonomous vehicles. Ontario’s auto manufacturing sector provides nearly 100,000 direct jobs and hundreds of thousands of indirect jobs across the province.